CHAPTER XXI. 



NOT having seen Edinburgh since August, 1776, 

 I longed to see it again, and accompanied with my 

 Jane and Isabella, we set out on this journey on the 

 nth August, 1823, and went through by coach on 

 that day. I always thought highly of Edinburgh 

 and its bold and commanding situation ; but the 

 new town, or city of palaces, as it is now sometimes 

 called, had been added to it since I had seen it. 

 But all these splendid buildings are of trivial 

 import compared with the mass of intellect and 

 science which had taken root and had been 

 nurtured and grown up to such a height as to 

 rival, and perhaps to outstrip, every other city in 

 the world. Our stay in it was only a fortnight ; 

 and this was a busy time with us, both as to its 

 being taken up with the kindness and hospitality 

 we met with everywhere, as well as in visiting its 

 various scientific and other establishments. It 

 being at a vacation season, when most of the 

 learned professors were out of town, we saw only 

 Professors Jameson and Wallace, and the kindness 

 of these gentlemen I never can forget. We were 

 often at the table of the former surrounded by 

 men of learning and science who visited him, on 

 which occasions the amiable manners and affability 

 of his sisters, the Misses Jameson, made every 

 place appear like a home. The civility of Professor 

 Wallace was also of the most friendly complexion. 

 He showed me the use of the Eidograph, an 



